Tape or ribbon working machine



AF 19 7' w. F. HO-SFORD 1 TAPE 0R RIBBON WORKING MACHINE Filed Dec. 21. 1923' 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 W17 Z iamfil fosfom 13y m i y W. F. HOSFORD TAPE 0R RIBBON WORKING MACHIIIF Filed Dec. 21, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 19,1927. I 1,625,469

rial/111 521! .Ziwenwm Witzamlfiflosford Patented Apr. 19, 192 7.

UNITED STAT S PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM FULLER HOSFORD, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN ELEC- TRIO COMPANY,

' YORK;

INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK,'1\T. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW' TAPE OR RIBBON WORKING MACHINE.

Application filed December 21, 1923. Serial No. 682,128.

This invention relates to tape or ribbon working machines, and more particularly to a machine adapted to be used for the inspection of metal tapes.

. An object of this invention is to provide a machine capable of subjecting simultaneou sly both sides of a tape to the scrutiny of an operator.

Another object of this invention is to provide a machine whereby both sides of a metal tape or the like are slowly conveyed before an operator, enabling said operator to brush, scrape, or otherwise remove any defects from bothsides of the tape before the said tape is taken up on a take-up spool.

In accordance with the general features of the invention there is provided a material supply source, an examining table, over which the material passes twice, exposing one side the first time and the opposite side the-second time, and a power driven takeup mechanism which draws the material from the supply source over the examining table onto the take-up reel.

Another feature of this invention is the provision of means for the reversing of a tape ribbon, web, or the like, between a supply and a take-up spool.

Still another feature of the invention is the provision of means for maintaining a constant tension on a metal tape traveling between a supply and a take-up spool.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will .moreg 'fully appear from the following detailed tlescription taken in connection with .the accompanying drawings which illustrate one embodiment thereof.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a front view of a machine embodying the features of this, invention;

Figs. 2 and 3 are reduced fragmentary plan and side views respectively of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail horizontal sectional view of the tensioning mechanism of the machine.

Referring now to the drawings in detail in which like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the several views, 10 indicates a bench (Fig. 3) to which is secured a supply reel holder 11, in which a supply reel 12 is rotatably mounted on a stud 13, which passes through the center of the supply reel and is suitably secured at its ends in the holder 11.

Siecuredv to the bench 10 in front of the holder 11 is a wooden block 14 (Fig. 3) which is slightly rounded as indicated at 15, to provide a smooth uiding surface for thetape 16 which is to be inspected. A tenslomng device, indicated at 17 is mounted on the aforesaid wooden block 14 and comprises essentially a clamping plate 18, at the ends of which are secured two blocks 19 and 20 which may be made of rubber (Fig. 4). These rubber blocks 19 and 20 are held in place by two bolts and nuts 21 and 22. The aforementioned clamping plate 18 is in turn held in the forepart of the wooden block 14 by two bolts 23 and 24 which project respectively through two countersunk bores 25 and 26 in the wooden block 14. Surrounding the two bolts 23 and 24 respectively are two compression springs 27 and 28 whose ends rest against the shoulder of countersunk bores 25 and 26 and washers 29 and 30, which are held in place by wing nuts 31 and 32.

Located on top of the bench 10 and immediately over the tensioning device 17 are two grooved pulleys 35 and 36 (Fig. 1), which are rotatably mounted in a bracket 38 formed on the end of an examining table 39. Pivot-ally secured in a bracket 40, which is located under the supply reel holder 11, is an idle pulley 41. Suitably located at the rear of the examining table 39 is a take-up reel 42 which is rotatably mounted on a shaft 49, which is driven by a constantly rotating pulley 44 connected by a belt 46 with a pulley secured to a shaft 47 which is actuated by any suitable source of power (not shown).

A friction clutch 48 of usual and well known type serves to connect and disconnect the shaft 49 to and from the pulley 44, the clutch being operated through a leverage mechanism comprising a foot lever 50, a link 51, lever 52, lever shaft 53, and a lever 54, said last-mentioned lever having a yoke member which straddles a clutch operat ing member 56.

The operation of this mechanism is as follows:

The supply reel 12 is placed in the holder 11 and the tape 16 which is to be inspected is drawn from the underside of the said reel 12 up to the guiding surface 15 of the wooden block 14 (Fig. 3). The tape 16 is then passed between the wooden block 14 and the rubber block 19 of the tensioning device 17. The operator now draws the tape to over the grooved pullev 35 onto one side oi? the examining table 35). From the table 39 the tape 16 is pulled down through an opening in the bench 10 (Fig. 3) and reversed as indicated at (it). The operator then threads the tape it; under the idle pulley ll, the side of the tape it that has just been exposed on the table Ill) being now made the inner side, and up to the wooden bloeh l-t. The tape it; is then passed between the wooden block it and the rubber block :20 of the other side of the ten- .Iionin deviee '17 (Fig. 1-).

it adjusting the wing nuts ll and 32 (Fig. i), the pressure oi the rubber blocks 15) and it) on the tape 16 may be varied, thus enabling the maintenance oi? a constant tension on the tape 1e. The operator new draws the tape it? from the tensioning device 1.? over another grooved pulley so, which is adjacent to the glUOYGd pulley 35, onto the oppo te side of the examining table 23!), exposing the unexainined side oi the tape it and lastly onto the take-up reel a2. lloth sides of the tape 16 are now exposed to the scrutiny of the operator. By depressing the foot lever 50 (Fig. l) the operator causes an aetuation oi? the clutch hi to couple the shaft it) to the eonstantlv rotating pulley -l-t to cause the take-up reel 4:13 to rotate and draw the tape from the supply reel through the machine in the manner already described.

What is claimed is:

i. in a machine for working ribbons, a supply source, a take-up device, a work table having; a surface to contact with a ribbon, means for passing two strips of ribbon over the work table moving in the same direction and at the same speed, and means for delivering the ribbon to the table in such a manner that both sides thereof will be exposed.

:2. in a machine for working nietallie rib bone, a supply source, a take-up device, a work table having a surface to eontaet with a ribbon, said ribbon being iQi'UlMLKl between the supply and take-up device, driving means for the take-up device whereby the ribbon is withdrawn from the supply source and passes twice over the table eaeh time moving in the same direction and at the same speed and in eontaet with the sin-fate oi. the table, and brake devices engaging dilt'erent Httfl'lOllS ol' the ribbon for applying tension thereto. 7

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 13th day of December A. 1)., 1922 WILLIAM FULLER HOSFORD. 

